Child&#39;s riding toy



Jan.

F. J. SCHUBERT CHILD'S RIDING TOY Filed April 19, 1924 IN V EN TOR ZZWAXK,

A TTORNEYS Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

UNITED s'rA'res FRANZ JOSEPH SCHUBERT, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

GHILDS RIDTNG- TOY.

Application filed April 19, 1924.

the use of children, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein descrlbed and clalmed.

An ObJBCt of the inventlon is to provide a riding toy whichin general appearance and in its movements on a supporting surface w1ll closely resemble a mimature aeroplane and which willbe strong, durable and easlly propelled and guided.

A further object of the invention 'is to provide a riding toy of the character described which is' adapted to be propelled through the use of pedals carried thereby and which includes novel transmission means whereby motion will be transmitted from the pedals to the rear wheels of the device when the pedals are operated in a forward direction but no motion will be transmitted from the rear wheels .ofthe device to the pedals when the rear wheels are turned independently of the pedals.

Other objects and advantages will be ap parent from the following description, con- .sidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a riding toy embodying the invention,

Figure- 2 is a plan view of the toy.

Figure 3 is a relatively. enlarged transverse section through the rear or live axle of the device, showing the ,gears thereon and means whereby a driving connection will be established between the axle {and "the gear when the axle is. rotated-in one direction,

Figure 4 is .a fragmentary perspective view .of a portion of the rear or live axle, showing a clutchpin whichris carried by the rear axle, and

Figure r5 :is a perspective view of the clutch pin.

The frame or bodyofa vehicle embodying the invention comprises a pair .of spaced apart bars 1 which are connected together at :their rearward ends by across member 2 whichlpreferably is integral with the bars land are provided rearwardly of the cross member=2 with a pair of extensions :3 which pedal Serial No. 707,752.

preferably are outwardly offset in respect to the bars 1 and extend rearwardly in the same horizontal plane as the bars 1. The extensions 3 have aligned openings formed therethrough in which a rear or live axle 4 is journaled. The bars 1 are curved outwardly at their forward ends and connected to a front axle 5 which preferably is integral with the bars 1. The latter is provided with the usual pivoted stub ends 6 which carry the front wheels 7. The rear axle 4 carries the rear wheels 8, at least one of which is secured to the rear axle to turn therewith, as is usual.

The stub axles 6 are provided with the usual steering arms 9 which are pivotally attached toa tie rod 10. The latter is connected by a link 11 with the lower end of a steering rod 12. The latter is rotatably supported by a bearing carried by a cross bar 14 which is secured to the bars 1 in spanning relation to the latter. The steering rod 12 carries a steering wheel 15 at the upper end of the rod and located in a position to be conveniently manipulated by a child who is seated on the seat 16. The latter is supported above the frame of the device, as by means of a front supporting member 17 and a rear supporting member 18.

A plane 19 is supported above the front axle 5, as by means of uprights 20, each of which is secured at its lower end in any suitable known manner to the front axle so that the upright will'be rigid with the front axle. Each upright has forks at the upper end thereof attached to the plane, whereby the plane will be firmly supported against movement relatively to the frame of the device.

A propeller 21 is secured to the front end portion of a propeller shaft 22 which is journaled in and supported by a bracket 23 which is secured to the plane 19 midway between the ends of the latter. The propeller shaft 22 extends forwardly of and above the frame of the vehicle, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

A countershaft 24 extends longitudinally of the frame of the device. A crank or shaft 25 which carries the pedals 26 an'd is rotatably supported by bearings 27 carried by the side members or bars l of the frame is provided with a drive gear'28 in mesh with a gear29. The latter is secured to the counter shaft 24. It of course will be understood that the pedal shaft 25 is supported on the frame in such position that the pedals may be conveniently actuated y the feet of a child seated on the seat 15.

The countershaft 2 carries a pulley 30 from which motion will be transmitted when the countershaft is turned through a belt 31 to a pulley 32. The latter is secured on the propeller shaft so that the propeller will be turned when the countershaft is rotated.

lhe countershaft carries a gear at its rearward end in u'icsb with a gear Bl. on the rear or drive axle -'l-. The gear is secured to the coiuitersha'l't 24. The gear 3-41; is provided with a central opening loosely receiving the rear axle 4t. This central opening of the gear 34 includes three regularly spaced substantially horn-shaped, cut outs, each of which defines a radial shoulder 35 and a curved cam wall 36, each of the curved cam walls 36 being merged at one end into the outer end of one of the shoulders 35 and being merged at its other end into the adjacent shoulder 35 at the inner end of the latter, and adjacent radial shoulders 35 being located 120 degrees apart. The portion of the rear axle 4. that extends through the central opening of the gear 34 is provided with a diametrical slot 3? in which is slidably received a clutch pin 38 which is of greater length than the diameter of the axle 4 and has the ends thereof oppositely beveled as indicated at 39 and 40 respectively. The length of the pin 38 is slightly less than the combined length of the diameter of the axle 4: and the radial slot 35 or in other words the length of the slot 37 and the length of one of the radial shoulders 35. Therefore, the gear may turn in one direction on the axle 4: without imparting motion to the latter and the axle 4 may turn in the opposite direction without imparting motion to the sear The arrangement is such that when the gear 34 is rotated as a result of move ment of the pedals in an anti-clockwise or so called forward direction. the clutch pin 38 will engage with one of the shoulders 35 and the axle i will be turned with the gear 34, thereby causing the vehicle to be propelled on a supporting surface. However, when the vehicle is moving forward on its supporting surface without the pedals being operated. as in coasting down an inclined surface, the axle 4 will rotate without i111" parting motion to the gear 34 and the pedals therefore may remain stationary. Obvious- 1y. any known and suitable type of overrunning clutch may be provided for connecting the gear with the axle when the pedals are swung in an anti-clockwise direction and for disconnecting the gear 84 from the axle 4 when the wheels 8 and the axle 1- are turned in an anti-clockwise direction without the pedals being operated.

The rear Wheels 8 may have laterally extending hub portions on which brake bands 41 of any suitable known type of construc-v tion adapted to be actuated in an ordinary manner to frictionally engage or release the hubs of the wheels 8 as desired, may be disposed. The brake bands 4E1 are shown as being connected by links 4-2 to a rocker arm on a rock shaft which may be operated by means of a lever t l which is disposed in position to be conveniently grasped and manipulated by the rider of the vehicle.

rom the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. the pedal shaft is rotated in an anticlockwise direction through the use of the pedals 26, motion will be transmitted to the propeller 21 and to the rear axle t and the vehicle will be propelled in a forward direction on a suoporting surface. The clutch arrangement between the driven gear 34: and the rear axle 4 permits forward movement of the vehicle without rotation of the pedal shaft 25.

The device is strong and durable and attractive in appearance. The parts thereof may be painted or otherwise finished to enhance the appearance of the device. The wheels of the device preferably are of the disk type of construction and may be made of pressed steel and provided with rubber tires.

Obviously, my invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than that illustrated in the accompanying drawing and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations of the form of the device herein described as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:--

1. In a device of the character described, a motion transmission means including a counter shaft, a gear secured on said counter shaft, a freely rotatable axle, a gear supported on said axle and in mesh with said. first named gear, said last named gear having a central opening receiving said axle. said central opening including a plurality of spaced cut-outs, each having a radial wall. and a curved wall, said curved Wall being merged at one end into the outer end of one of said radial walls and being merged at its other end into the adjacent radial wall at the inner end of the latter, said axle having a diametrical slot located in the plane of said second named gear, and a clutch pin slidable in said slot and having a length greater than that of said slot and less than the combined length of said slot and one of said radial walls.

2. A. childs riding toy comprising a frame, a pedal shaft carried by the frame, front and rear axles rotatably supported by the frame, wheels on said axles, and motion transmission means including a gear on said pedal shaft, a counter-shaft, a gear on said countershaft in mesh With the gear on the When pedal shaft, a gear supported on said rear axle having a central opening loosely receiving said axle, said central opening including a plurality of spaced cut-outs, each having a radial Wall and a curved Wall, said curved wail being merged at one end into the outer end of one of said radial Walls and being merged at its other end into the adjacent radial Wall at the inner end of the latter, said rear axle having a diametrical slot located in the plane of the gear Which is supported on the axle, a clutch pin slidable in said slot and having a length greater than that of said slot and less than the combined length of said slot and one of said radial Walls, and an additional gear secured on said countershat't in mesh with the gear on said rear axle.

3. In a device of the character described, a rotatably'supported axle, a disk-like motion transmission element having a central opening through Which said axle extends, said central opening including a plurality of spaced cut-outs, each having a radial Wall and a curved Wall. said curved Wall being merged at one end into the outer end of one of said radial Walls and being merged at its other end into the adjacent radial Wall at the inner end of the latter, said axle having a diametrical slot located in the plane of said disk-like motion transmitting member, and a clutch pin slidable in said slot and having a length greater than that of said slot and less than the combined length of said slot and one of said radial Walls.

FRANZ JOSEPH SCHUBERT. 

